Brand New Reason
by Naburoo
Summary: Sakura has left Konoha to make her own way in the world, and the promise of much needed cash leads her to a small village where Itachi Uchiha is in grave need of a doctor. On a quest to kill, they find a new reason for living. On hold for now.
1. Prologue

I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoy writing it.

**Full Summary:** Sakura, seeking more out of life, abandons her village to truly taste freedom. In a collaborative effort, she joins together with a wounded Uchiha to kill the one person that wasted both their lives. She wants revenge, he wants contentment. Both want to find a brand new reason for living, and they might just find it in each other.

--

_Prologue_

Buildings loomed ahead, appearing suddenly and then vanishing just as quickly, as Sakura dashed through her village for the last time. Her heart hammered in her chest as though it wanted nothing more than to leap out and stay in Konoha. But this was a mind over heart matter, and her mind was telling her what her heart couldn't bear to say; that it was time to make her own way through life, separate from her village.

The gates to Konoha were in sight, closed of course, but just visible in the half-moon light. She was fifty yards away. Thrity, fifteen, ten-

"Agh!" Sakura skidded to a halt, inches away from the hurt and confused face of Ino.

"You can't be serious! Go home, Sakura!" Sakura felt her heart almost tear with sadness. She hadn't been expecting to face anyone.

"I can't, I've made my choice, you've got to let me go Ino!" She whispered back. If she didn't get away soon, she might not be able to outrun the Anbu that would surely follow. Ino clenched her hands.

"Look, I know you've been hurt. I know what Sasuke did, but this… is too much. You don't have to leave- You still have us!" Sakura frowned.

"Ino, I don't know if you have your facts strait, but Sasuke has done nothing but treat us- Naruto and I- like shit. He's changed for the worse! Before he left, he was always polite, but now he's…" Ino gripped her friend's shoulder not unkindly, but spoke in a stern tone.

"I know what he did. I know he's been playing around with your emotions for God knows how long, and he went too far. If you're upset about having sex with hi-" Sakura glared venomously at the blonde. She was ashamed for being so stupid, thinking that sleeping with Sasuke would bring them closer, but it had only ripped the gap between them into a wide valley, and Sakura had had enough of it. Freedom from the demanding bonds of her village had never looked so good before, and she was hell-bent on taking what she wanted for once. She had a life that needed living, and not even Ino could convince her otherwise. Leaving them would be the hardest thing in her life, but Naruto would still have Kakashi, and his close friends.

"I'm going, Ino. I've done nothing but live for others. I'm sick of trying to mend other peoples broken hearts when what I need is to go far away and mend my own." Emotionally pained at what she had to do next, Sakura embraced her speechless friend, holding Ino close, before snapping around with sudden speed and knocking her hand behind the blonde girls head. Hadn't someone else done that same to her, many years ago?

Nobody would ever know how much Sakura cried that night, as she dashed up the vertical wooden gate and down the other side, leaving Ino behind on a bench. But unlike Sasuke, Sakura wasn't coming back. Pelting off into the woods, running as fast as legs could run, she didn't bother trying to stop the flood of sadness. It would take a lot of hard work and getting used to, but no matter how tough, this was what she wanted.

After two days of running, sleeping, eating on the go, and more running, Sakura leapt up a tall tree and stood on its highest branches, looking at the world in a different light. Far in the East, a tall pagoda stood in the middle of a city with a lake beside it. To the North she could make out the steep silhouette of mountains capped in white. Sakura turned to look ahead and saw an endless forest dotted with hills, and to the West more towns and villages. A little river trickled through the towns that clung to the flowing water like a lifeline. Sakura breathed in the rich air of the forest and closed her eyes, and asked herself something never asked before.

'Well, where do I want to go?' The answer was simple enough.

'Wherever I want, of course.' And with an optimistic smile she pounded off in the direction of the nearest town.

--

Don't worry; the chapters will not be anywhere NEAR as short as this. Anyway, the title for this fic was shamelessly stolen from the beautiful ending theme of Innocent Venus. I don't know what the translation is, nor do I want to know, but everything about the song makes me think of sunrises on a spring morning, when the whole world's fresh and yours for the taking.

If you'd like to read more cool stuff about when and where this fic was written, just drop a click and stop by my profile.


	2. An Unexpected Meeting

Chapter 1

A single drop of dew slid down a viridian leaf, gathering momentum as it picked up other specks of water. It eventually reached the tip of its green platform and hung there momentarily, hesitating and unsure, before finally disconnecting silently. This particular drop fell with a soft _plip_ onto the scuffed metal surface of a ninja's headband. It found its way into a deep gash that ran through the metal, and rolled along this crevice until dripping out the other side.

Sakura felt the drop run down the side of her head and shook her messy hair with a yawn. She was sitting at ease in a high tree branch, with hands clasped behind her head, gazing almost wistfully at the clear sky overhead, watching the rising sun chase away the chilly dawn clouds. The sweet smells of early Spring caressed her senses pleasantly, making the rogue nin wish she was in a more comfortable spot, so as to better watch the sun catch the dew. This was her favorite time of day, when the world sparkled freshly and everything was untainted and pure.

While the sky grew lighter, Sakura tumbled down into her thoughts.

She was still unable to wipe Konoha from her mind in the two months since her departure, because she'd always loved her village growing up. It was the only life she knew, and this abrupt change called 'freedom' was a double-edged sword. Sakura could roam as she pleased, easily moving from place to place. All she had to do was avoid the main shinobi countries on her map, and that was fairly easy. It wouldn't serve to travel through one anyway, because there were no job opportunities for a ninja in a country already run by ninja. But there was a huge downside to this exciting new life. Besides trying to avoid being hunted down every now and then by Anbu, rogue shinobi, bounty hunters, and once even an assassin, Sakura had to maintain order in her way of living. This meant managing her money and being frugal, avoiding bar fights (which was terribly hard given her appearance and recently grouchy nature) and having shelter to sleep in at night. Of course, there were many assassin houses she could join, and she could easily become a high paying doctor anywhere, but both of these things would be like setting off flares to show Konoha her location. There was no denying it, Sakura Haruno's name, if not her face, was already known amongst the underground society that was shinobi. Currently on the top of her mental checklist for necessities was money, so she wouldn't have to sleep in sheds anymore.

Sakura breathed in slowly again. Speaking of a job, her target should be getting close by now.

_Movement detected._

Ah, speak of the devil and the devil shall appear. Immediately, the trained and sensitive ears of the kunoichi picked up the sound of a twig snapping far below the canopy of trees. She quieted her breathing at once, and sat up slowly. _Locate Target. _The commands from her inner self were automatic, from years of training and experience.Eyes scanning the forest floor, her gaze locked onto a large moving figure stumbling through the woods. _Observe Target. _ Sakura teetered sideways and rolled off the branch, landing below on another one closer to the figure. The hulking figure was, as she had known beforehand, a squat balding man with small watery eyes. Sweat rolled down his strained face as he struggled to run over uneven roots and through bushes. He swiveled his head around to look over his shoulder, his face drawn and terrified. Despite his fearful expression as he tripped over the uneven earth, Sakura couldn't bring herself to feel sorry for him.

It wasn't too long ago that she herself had learned the trick of this trade. If you wanted to remain mentally stable _and _keep your job, you don't have time to feel sorry for the person you're hired to kill. Besides, the paycheck wasn't big enough to allow for pickiness. But today, Sakura considered herself lucky to have such a despicable target. Speaking of which, the man was getting away. In a whirl of black and pink, Sakura dashed through the trees until she was ahead of him, then rolled off her branch a second time and landed silently on the forest floor. As the crashing sound got closer, she quickly snapped an expressionless white mask over her head. One of the many things Sakura had learned in her new profession was that Judgment had no face.

The man suddenly ran into view and spotted Sakura with a yelp. He almost fell over in his haste to stop moving. Sakura took a step towards him, and he ended up falling over anyway. He raised his hands above his head and cowered against a tree trunk, unintelligible pleas escaping his mouth. Monotone and cold, Sakura's voice rang out like bells from a grave.

"Kokumaru Miyamoto, I have no personal qualm with you. However, I have come to take your life." As she spoke, the stench of urine infiltrated the sweet forest air. The whimpering mass before her was shaking in terror. He peered at her between his shivering fingers.

"W-why?" He asked in a fearful tone, between the whimpers and moans.

"Why? Well, you know I can't tell you who hired me, but let's see…" Sakura paused and thought for a moment. "You have been accused of kidnapping a minor, assistance in murder, and fraud, I believe." The man, Kokumaru, widened his eyes at her knowledge of his crimes and pushed himself further against the tree. Sakura drew her short, straight blade and held back her arm.

"Wait," he shrieked, "Wait!"

_Dispose of Target._

A flash of gray streaked from her hand. With a low 'thunk' the blade planted itself cleanly in the middle of the man's forehead. His eyes rolled back and spit dribbled from his sagging mouth, and then he rolled sideways and moved no more. The moment his eyes went blank, Sakura's shoulders dropped to a tired slouch and she pulled off the mask. The heavy air of death dissipating, she sighed heavily and gazed around her surroundings, not really focusing on anything in particular. Looking again at the body against the tree, she pursed her lips and trudged over to extract her short blade. As Sakura was yanking it out of the man's head, she suddenly sneezed loudly, hushing the forest creepers back into silence. Rubbing her nose with the back of her fist, Sakura sniffed loudly, deciding regretfully that the whole chilly morning thing might have to stop.

--

Far away from Sakura, in a small coastal village with no name, dawn light was reflecting off of the glimmering ocean beside the small cluster of buildings. The inhabitants of this little fishing town were just waking up to begin their long day of labor, when the sound of shattering glass echoed off the thin walls of the houses. A door slammed loudly and a boy ran from his house and purposefully dashed up one of the town's only two streets. He pounded his tiny fists on the door of an old building, which only opened after what felt like an eternity to the child. A very old man peered out and looked down at the panting boy, who spoke at once.

"He- he's awake! I just walkin' in to check on him and he was sittin' up an' holdin' his head all hurt like so I accidentally dropped the water cup which broke!" The boy rushed his speech so quickly, stumbling over his words, that the old man had to stand still for a moment to take it all in. But he was out the door as fast as an old man could go, and the two trotted off to the boy's house, shuffling along the dusty street.

"He looked hurt real bad Gramps, can you fix'em? His eyes was all red'n drippy!" The old man, Gramps, merely shrugged and scratched his stubbly chin as they arrived at the open door. They stumbled in, made their way to the second and only other room in the house, carefully stepped over the shards of broken glass, and turned to a bed in the corner. There, Itachi Uchiha sat hunched over in pain, grasping hid upper face. The boy clung to the frame of the doorway and watched in wonder as the other man crouched beside the bed and spoke clearly and comfortingly.

"Can you speak?" Itachi merely sucked in air shakily to show he could at least listen, so the man continued.

"Well everybody in this here town calls me Gramps. Some of the kids found you in the forest yonder, half dead an' bleeding so we all carried you here. You been sleepin' for days now. How's your eyes doing?" Gramps lowered his head to see under Itachi's fingers, and then frowned deeply, something he did rarely. He couldn't even tell whether the wounded man even _had _eyes, because of the coagulated blood and matted hair that clung to his face. Suddenly, Itachi's hand found Gramp's shoulder, and he held fast to the thin fabric with a surprisingly strong grip. The little boy could only just make out what Itachi was saying through pained gasps.

"Look in the cloak… use money and get… me a doctor…" Gramps turned his head to the red and black cloak that lay in the corner of the small room, and he stood up to sift through its pockets. After snapping open the purse and seeing the amount inside, Gramps raised his white brows and showed it to the boy in the doorway, who looked from Itachi to the old man.

"Hey Gramps, think he'll let us keep the change?" The boy asked hopefully.

--

Some hours later, in a nearby town much larger than the fishing village, Sakura the innocent and civilian stepped out of a bathroom stall in a dirty bar's restroom, tugging at her dyed hair. Apparently, the black dye she had bought was so cheap that a light shade of pink would only turn into a dark, dusty rose color. Ah well. She examined her reflection in a cracked mirror to make sure nothing but the calluses on her palm gave her away as a ninja. Clad in trendy sandals, a generic skirt and shirt, and cheap bracelets, she turned away from the mirror, satisfied that she looked like any other eighteen year old in the area. It was thanks to her superhuman strength that she could pummel a man to bits and not look like a female wrestler. And it was important to look normal right now, because someone else was opening the bathroom door. Sakura quickly shoved her black assassin clothes into her pack and zipped it closed as two gabbing women walked in.

Sakura was washing her hands in the chipped sink as they looked in the mirror to freshen their heavily made up faces. It was impossible not to hear their giggly conversation.

"Oh my _gosh_! That is so cute. I'd totally have a kid, but I don't wanna do the whole pregnant thing, y'know?" One of them was saying.

"Yeah, he was adorable. Just starts tugging on my skirt and he was like, "Where's the hospital? Do y'know where it is, miss?" As the second women did her impression of a begging child, the other "Awww'd" loudly. Sakura, drying her hands on a piece of paper towel, wondered why on earth these two women were making a bigger deal over the cuteness of the kid than the fact he was asking for a _hospital. _She walked briskly from the bathroom and the cooing sounds of the women died out. Sakura stepped out into the sunlight from the empty bar and looked around her. A light breeze lifted her darkened hair upwards, and she turned in the direction the wind blew, passing cafes and shops, little clothes stores and food markets. Today would be like no other. It was all a horrible cycle of killing someone to get money to buy food to stay alive to kill someone, all while bouncing back and forth between a hunter and an innocent, normal person. This lifestyle was enough to make anyone depressed, even the most hardened of all ninja.

As Sakura wandered about the bustling food market square, trying to decide what she could afford, a commotion some way to her left was drawing a crowd. Genuinely curious, she jogged over to peer over the heads of people forming a circle around-

"Move, move!" Sakura shouted to the people around her as she shoved past them. They looked around at her, confused, before shuffling aside to make room. Lying on the dusty brick ground was a boy no older than eight, with worryingly pale skin and a drawn, tired face. Sakura snapped into medic mode and felt for various vital signs. It didn't seem like anything serious; fatigue was most likely. Sakura slid her arms underneath his small limbs and scooped him up. The crowd was slightly shocked by the assertive action of this normal looking person, and she stood for a moment, hesitating. If she took him to the hospital, there might be some issues with identification, not only for the boy but for her as well. Hitching the boy higher in her arms, she carried him through the market and the dissipating crowd. The plan was to find a bench where he could lay down, and maybe she'd be able to find water or food, but an obstruction in the shape of an old man suddenly blocked her path.

"Heyyy, you found Toshio! Good job, lady!" The man grinned pleasantly, aware of the fact that the boy was obviously unconscious and not well. Sakura wondered for a moment whether he was insane or just one of those annoyingly positive kinds of people. Either way, she found herself sitting under a tree a few minutes later with a cup of water in one hand and the boy's head resting in the other while he feeble drank water. The man, who identified himself as Gramps, explained that he came from a small fishing village near the coast of this non-shinobi country.

"Well, now you're prolly wonderin' what brings such poor, country folk like ourselves to a town like this, but the truth is that we're looking for a doctor." Sakura looked up, almost spilling the water in the cup, which she was halfway through setting down.

"Do you mean a medic, or a surgeon? What I mean is, is it a sickness or a physical injury?" Sakura wondered why she was even asking because not only could she heal both sorts of maladies, but these two probably didn't have much on them anyway. Gramps glanced at Toshio, who looked back at him through half closed eyes set in an exhausted face.

"Well, it's an injury, I suppose." Sakura quirked a brow at his odd tone, and he elaborated.

"It's a man, maybe four some years older than yourself, but he ain't from the village, see. We found him in the woods with every sort of little injury, but the big problem is his eyes." Sakura set down the water and racked her brains for a face to match this description. Her inner being was pounding her skull, telling her she was supposed to know something about this.

"Well he's huffin' away back in our village with bleedin' eyes, or what's left of'em, an' he gave us a wallet here and says to find him a doctor. Well I looked through his coat- he had a real weird coat- and found a wad of cash. So if you happen to know any good doctors what doesn't mind travelin' a bit, feel free to let me know."

While Sakura drank in his words about the injured man and why she should know this one, Toshio spoke quietly in a raspy whisper.

"We checked the hospital but none of the doctor's can leave their job, see." He paused to breath, "But you knew what to do when I fainted, are you a nurse, lady?" Sakura snapped out of her thoughts and looked around at him.

"Um, yes, I am." Gramps looked doubtfully at her average attire and fashionable sandals. Sakura waved a hand at herself.

"Oh, these are just my off duty clothes, but I'm a trained medic." She didn't see the point in giving him the name of her shishou _or _her own formal title, because only a nin like herself would know what it meant. The best she could do was name some credentials, and describe her wide array of medical skills. Convinced, the cheerful old man stood up and with surprising strength, picked up Toshio and carried him on his back to the outskirts of the town. They milled about, watching traders go in and out of the town, until Gramps spotted a horse drawn wagon heading out to the main traveling road. When the old man opened up Itachi's purse to hand the trader some money, Sakura noted the part about being loaded was true. Great, she could heal eyes without _too _much trouble. Maybe even spend a week in Gramp's village, earn some cash, and get another job from there.

As these comforting thoughts of a secure future for the next few days set in, Sakura felt a sudden wave of tiredness come over her and sat down next to Toshio among the crates in the bumpy wagon. Country scenes slowly rolled past her like a moving portrait, and Gramps had begun to hum a merry old tune that wiped the restlessness from Sakura's mind. Slowly falling into a relaxed state, Sakura began drifting off. She hadn't slept since waking up in yesterday's shed, and had spent all night awake in the forest, where Kokumaru Miyamoto's body was most likely providing a feast for the flies by now.

--

Itachi floated between conscious and a troubled sleep. He couldn't see at all. Not wanting to damage himself further, he had to avoid the desire to feel around his face. All he could do was trust in the old man's promise to find him a doctor, but how long would that take? Even if he did find a medic, the odds of them having the skill to return him to sight were small, and Gramps had been gone for five days already.

Itachi recalled what had happened in the past several years. After his fight with Sasuke, his inches-from-death body was dragged back to an Akatsuki hideout, where trained medics must have restored him to half health. Healing was an agonizingly slow process when you're almost dead. But what had happened then? His memories were fuzzy and muddled… He must have been in a coma of sorts, because Itachi's memory after the healing started only a week ago, with his eyes severely damaged. With this information, the calculating man came to the conclusion that Akatsuki, unable to mend his useless body, had dumped him in the woods and left him for dead. But why not dispose of him? Itachi only hoped the answer to that would come in time.

The glorious sunset outside the weathered window was fading into colors of rose and orange, but Itachi could not see this. However, he could hear the clicking of the door outside, with shuffling footsteps and murmuring voices.

"He's in here, and I hope you got tools and whatnot b'cause I'm paying you half now and the rest later with nothing in between for fancy gadgets."

"That's fine, I won't need all the money in there. You took the trouble to find me, so you should keep some as well." Itachi had to admit he was surprised. Not only had they found a doctor successfully, but _she _sounded quite young. On the very off chance that this medic was who he thought she was, Itachi might be lucky enough to have his sight returned, and possibly the Sharingan.

The door to the room opened quietly, and Gramps led Sakura in. She stopped suddenly, and dropped her pack in shocked horror, unable to even speak.

"Well sonny, this here is miss Sakura and she's here to fix you up!" Gramps looked back and forth between her expression and what he could see of Itachi's. His cheerful expression intact, he asked aloud,

"What, have you two met before?"

--

I love helpful criticism more than anything, and would really like to improve as a writer. I'll never lash out at anyone for critique, so say what's really on your mind! Thank you very much.

XD Ok, as far as updating goes, it'll prolly be every week and a half, or so. (finals are in mid/late June, so after that you don't have to worry about never updating, but please be patient..?)

By the way, when Sakura says, "I have no personal qualm… etc" Did anyone recognize that from Tenchu? Rin says it in one of the earlier missions, yessums.


	3. Bad News and a Haircut

A small pool of wax formed at the base of a candle, which flickered as the young woman sighed. The shadows wobbled, creating the illusion that there was movement in the silent, still room.

Sakura sat hunched over in a rough wooden chair, elbows resting on her knees, face in hands. The strange turn of events was whirling about like an out of control storm. Itachi, who had gotten dizzy just from sitting up, had lain back down and, though he appeared to be sleeping, Sakura couldn't be sure because of the way his bangs covered his upper face. The sky was now black, and crickets were chirruping softly outside the window. In the hour or so more that she had been sitting in the room with _him,_ Sakura could imagine quite clearly fate laughing at her. All she had wanted to do was pop an eye back in place, get handed some cash, sleep here a few days, and then waltz away from this dingy seaside village. Alas, not only did Itachi want her to heal his vision, but he would most likely force her to figure out a way to restore the Sharingan when his sight returned. What if she refused, or couldn't? Everything about her situation had gone from easy as pie to dangerous as hell. If she walked away now, another job was not just going to jump in her path. If only Sasuke had know that his brother still lived, then he may not have returned home, and Sakura would be enjoying the evening with her old friends instead of a clan killing Akatsuki member.

Of course, leaving Konoha had been optional, but if Sakura wanted something better than life there, she was going to have something better, damn it. However, this situation was _not_ better, and currently Sakura was trying to decide if it was actually worse or just as bad.

Itachi, meanwhile, had his own distressed thoughts to keep him quiet. If the woman in the room with him was indeed Haruno Sakura, he might be screwed. But where was her team? Any knowledgeable leaf nin would have killed him in a second, with no hesitation or regard for the situation. Of course, Itachi could not see the long gash that ran across her forehead protector.. A thousand questions rose to the surface of Itachi's thoughts, but most of them could be summed up into only one:

"Why are you here?" He'd shattered the silence and Sakura's own thoughts, and she presently sat up. His voice gave her the fleeting impression of a panther; it was smooth, and powerful. She thought for a moment about how to go about answering, and then spoke in a low voice.

"I could ask you the same thing." She paused for a moment to let him think that she wasn't going to give anything away, but continued,

"I have left my village for good. So you don't have to worry about your location being given away, because I'm only here for the promise of money. And last time I checked the records, you were dead."

"You've _abandoned_ Konoha?" He asked in a mocking tone, a most familiar Uchiha-ish smirk passing across what was visible of his features. Unbelievable. Here he was, suffering and blind in an old bed as helpless as a newborn, yet he still had the audacity to try and shame her. Sakura would die twice before the _other _Uchiha got to her.

"Yes, I've left, only I didn't kill hundreds of people before doing so." She spat the words venomously. Her tone was dangerous and icy compared to Itachi's own, and the smirk fell a bit from his face, which reminded Sakura what she was there for. Standing up, he set the little candle that lit the room closer to Itachi's bed and sat down to see what she could in the poor lighting. All she wanted now was to get this over with and leave asap. Not waiting for approval, she leaned over him and pulled his long bangs aside. He did have eyes to speak of, thankfully, half lidded by scratched and torn lids, but until the mess of skin and dried blood was washed away she wouldn't be able to start healing of any sort.

"Can you see at all?" She asked seriously.

"No." His tone indicated he was not at all pleased with her touching his head so suddenly, and if his future plans at living hadn't all relied on this woman, he'd have her pinned against the wall with a blade at her neck in moments. It was really incredible that you could be with this man for weeks and not know a thing about him, yet with a single syllable all his motives could be revealed. Sakura sighed and stepped back. The aura he was giving off made her skin prickle.

"I can't see in this light at all, but as soon as it's morning I'll have to wash off all the blood and take a closer look. But for now, tell me how you sustained the injuries and how long you've had them. Don't leave out details." She added. Itachi considered her words carefully. If this were a trick, everything he said would find its way in the Hokage's hands in a few days time. However, revealing anything about Akatsuki was not much of an issue to him anymore. After all, they _had _dumped his body in the middle of nowhere, hadn't they? But now that Sasuke had returned, Konoha would know everything about the Sharingan by now anyway. Well, well.

"I'm waiting, Uchiha."

"I'm _thinking, _kunoichi." Itachi's refusal to even address her properly did not go unnoticed. Sakura folded her arms and shifted her weight.

"The injuries to my eyes have only one probable cause at the moment. It is my guess that it is from extensive testing done by people working for Akatsuki. After the fight against my _stupid_ brother," Sakura tightened her jaw, realizing she'd just consciously agreed with Itachi Uchiha, of all people.

"I was most likely taken to an Akatsuki sponsored facility, remaining there for several years, where they recorded any information they could about the Sharingan and it's effects of fighting against another Sharingan user. I was then probably dumped somewhere in the woods when they realized my sight was a lost cause. However, it is also possible that they purposely damaged my sight, thus hindering my abilities to function as any sort of shinobi. Why they would do this and not kill me does not currently have a clear answer."

Sakura combed through her dark, tussled hair while calculating the difference between eyes that have been used for testing and eyes that are simply injured. He seemed to be giving her more information than she really needed, but it was also a hint that he may or may not consider himself part of Akatsuki, if he was willing to let so much information go. Well, it wasn't so much information as it was speculation.

"Right, and how long have you been like this?"

"At most, a few years. At least, a few weeks. My memory of recent events is clouded. It is my guess that they hoped to restore me to full health and exploit my abilities for Akatsuki a little longer, but unable to do so I was discarded." Sakura nodded and rubbed her eyes.

This, she thought to herself, was exactly what she had run away from. The way Itachi spoke, the tone he used… everything grew from the fact that they and all other shinobi were tools. 'Discarded' he'd said, as if he were a kunai with a chipped blade, and had been thrown out. It made Sakura want so badly to push against the very walls of the world she and Itachi had been born into. But here she was, being paid to stay alive and repair yet another chipped blade.

"I see, so the damage to your eyes could be widespread, or contained to a single area." Itachi didn't respond. Sakura glanced at him once more before turning on her heal to the door.

"Well, Toshio has been kind enough to let us stay in this house while he stays with Gramps. Apparently he doesn't have parents so the house belongs to the boy. I'll speak with you again in the morning." Itachi said nothing as she walked away, but before she closed the door has spoke quietly, sounding very much as if he disliked not knowing something she did.

"How many years has it been since I fought my brother?" Sakura paused and rested her hand on the door.

"It's been a while... four and a half years, about. " She looked over her shoulder. Predictable, there was no reaction. And she left the room, closed the door, and stumbled through the dark, over to a long since used futon Gramps and Toshio had found in the tiny house. Sleeping in bumpy wagons can do a number on one's butt, which made it a little harder for Sakura to fall asleep. But it wasn't the soreness that kept sleep at bay; it was the avalanche of thoughts that tried to piece themselves together in her weary mind. Of course, she had given Itachi much to think about as well, and he lay awake with ideas and guesswork constructing a plan in his head.

Before falling completely asleep hours later, Sakura's last thoughts marveled at the resemblance of Sasuke and his brother, and at how different they were at the same time.

Unknown to the slumbering medic, however, was the biggest difference that currently lay between the two Uchiha. One's goal was to regain sight, while the other's was to carefully and slowly develop a plan that would bring Konoha crashing to the ground. And that was exactly what Sasuke was doing at that moment.

--

Instinct was screaming at Sakura to wake up. She snapped her eyes open and her hand jerked towards the weapon pouch beside the futon. Her fingers had barely brushed against it when Sakura realized it was merely Toshio, sitting just inches to her right, watching with innocent curiosity.

"Oh, Toshio… Sheesh, you scared me!" Groaning, she rubbed her eyes and looked around. It was probably almost noon. So much for getting up at first light. She looked back at Toshio, who now looked very worried that he'd done something wrong.

"No, no, it's fine. I should have been awake sooner. How are you feeling?" Toshio's fearful expression melted into a grin.

"Way better! Gramps' wife fed me a _ton. _She said I didn't have enough new-tree-ents." He pronounced his newly learned word carefully, to make sure she heard it. It had been such a long time since Sakura had been around a child, that she'd forgotten how endearing they could be. After smiling briefly at him she stood up, inspecting the room much closer this time.

"So you live here by yourself?" Toshio nodded and followed her into the kitchen area

"But not very often. I mostly stay with Gramps and his family." Sakura was opening cupboards and drawers, but at this she stopped and turned to look at the boy.

"Because it's hard to maintain a house at your age?" Toshio planted his feet firmly on the floor and pouted.

"No, I can do that myself! But sometimes people help out. It's because I don't like this house…" He trailed off, and Sakura felt the atmosphere tighten slightly. She easily remedied this by casually returning to her search for bowls and clean towels.

"Toshio, did something happen here? You can tell me." Sakura smiled in what she hoped was a reassuring expression, but it had been such a long time since her last smile and she couldn't be sure. Toshio looked at his legs.

"Mom and dad were killed by ninja. They were hiding a scroll. That's what Gramps told me." Toshio continued to shuffle his feet. Sakura felt like being very quiet all of a sudden. This surprised her, but Toshio's story was not uncommon. Rogue shinobi often killed recklessly, and the ransacking of unimportant villages wasn't uncommon for lowlife, rough shinobi either. Sakura was sympathetic nonetheless, and frowned sadly at the boy.

"I'm sorry Toshio. It must have been very hard." She knew her words were the sort of generic thing one would say in this situation, but he was still young and couldn't know this. Sakura inspected a pile of folded towels in the back of a tiny closet.

"Toshio, do you have any rubbing alcohol in this house?" Grateful for a different subject, the boy looked up and shook his head.

"Nope, but I'll go check at Gramps' house." And he flew out the door. Sakura picked up a large metal bucket and set it in the sink while she compiled a list of medical supplies she would need from her pack for Itachi's eyes. Clean towels, gauze, scalpel, tweezers, water… some of these things were already in her pack, but in small and limited amounts. She rinsed out the pail thoroughly and gazed at the door to Itachi's room. He wasn't going to like the news she had for him. Soundlessly holding the strap of her bag in one hand and the now clean pail in the other, Sakura crept over and slowly pushed open the door, peeking around the frame.

"Why have you taken so long?" Itachi was wide awake and frowning in her direction. Sakura kicked the door open the rest of the way and stomped over.

"I overslept. It that ok with you, your highness?" She set the bucket of water down and dragged over the chair she'd sat in the previous night. Before he could respond to her sarcasm, she folded her hands and spoke in a very businesslike tone.

"Before I even begin to examine you, it's important for you to know some things. No matter how light the damage is on the surface, if _any_ harm has come to your optic nerves, you might not ever see again." It was out of politeness that she paused to let this sink in before continuing.

"I say 'might' because I don't know how many nerves are damaged, or if the damage is repairable. However, if you still can't see after I've healed you, I might be able to do a transplant and reconnect the nerves to a new pair of eyes. But I assume that's out of the question, seeing as the only other Sharingan eyes in existence are Sasuke's. Am I right to assume that in the case of you still being blind afterwards, that no other eyes but Uchiha eyes will do?"

Itachi was silent for a moment, and then he nodded slightly.

"You are correct." If he couldn't have his most powerful weapon, he was nothing more than an extremely skilled shinobi. Sakura could relate to this. It would be like trying to wield a blade with no hands. Her bad news now out of the way, She leaned back in the chair and clasped her hands behind her head, a habit she was developing swiftly. When Itachi tilted his head in her direction, she answered his silent question.

"I'm just waiting for the boy to come back with some rubbing alcohol. I only carry a little bit on me, along with some other medical tools. Just enough for myself, really." They were both quiet for some time. Sakura found that she was quite uncomfortable with the silence. Village deserter turned assassin or not, she was still a social person. Being deprived of good conversation for so long had taken its toll. Sakura cleared her throat quietly.

"So… Maybe you didn't hear through the door, but Toshio said his parents had been killed by rogues in this house. Something about a scroll they were hiding." She glanced at him, but he was silent. Obviously, he thought there was some point she was trying to make, and he didn't understand the concept of small talk. Or maybe he did, but was just ignoring her. She sighed and returned her gaze to the window. Seagulls called to one another and swooped low over the docks. She watched two fishermen haul ropes and nets into a boat, while their wives carried crates up and down the deck. The window had such a charming view, she thought.

"I recall his grandfather mentioning that to me, I don't remember when." Sakura was startled by him speaking so suddenly, but she grasped on to his words and built a conversation.

"Oh, Gramps isn't Toshio's grandpa, at least- that's what he said on the ride over here. He said that's just what everyone calls him." She stopped slouching backwards and sat up.

"I see." Itachi said. Sakura wondered if that was it, but he continued,

"How did the old man find you? I doubt you were advertising your skills, given that your name is fairly well known amongst shinobi." Sakura knew he didn't mean to do it, but she was secretly quite flattered at this. Akatsuki had always felt like a whole different level of skill, even after she'd killed Sasori. To find that even ninja like Itachi had heard of her and acknowledged her strength was a compliment indeed.

"Toshio collapsed in a market square from fatigue, and Gramps found us later and I explained it to him. But you're right; I haven't purposely drawn any attention to myself. I can easily blend in with the younger crowd, so I've just been acting like a civilian during the day, mostly." And then Sakura remembered that he couldn't see her at all, so she elaborated.

"I've just been dying my hair and wearing cheap fashionable stuff, you know, like nail polish and what not..." Itachi tilted his head to the side slightly, trying to recall anything he might have heard about Sakura Haruno's appearance. There was one thing that stuck out…

"Isn't your hair light pink?" His smirk contrasted Sakura's scowl. She huffed loudly.

"No, not anymore it isn't. I just dyed it yesterday, since it stands out so much. Now it's a dark, lovely, pale rose color." She said in mock girlishness, flicking a strand of hair off her shoulder. She examined him closely. He was wearing only a black undershirt with mesh sleeves, typical of most ninja, and dark pants. Sakura could find nothing to pick at in return, so she turned the tables on him.

"Perhaps we should cut your charming strands off, Uchiha, they might get in the way of surgery." The idea of anything sharp, save for a medical tool, getting that close to Itachi didn't amuse him, but he reached up to feel his hair. Despite the wounds on his face, Sakura could still detect surprise from his features. Itachi leaned foreword, and Sakura was suddenly shocked as well.

His straight black hair had not been cut in over four years, and it showed. It was at least three and a half feet long, flowing over his back and shoulders. Itachi ran his hands through it and continued to frown.

"I suppose I could trim it if you'd like…" Sakura mumbled quietly. If cutting his hair was one less thing to make him uncomfortable during a medical procedure, then so be it. It may even make the blind Uchiha trust her with something sharp in such close proximity. Itachi was silent for a while, as usual, but he stopped slouching and turned his head away from her.

"Fine. If that will make things easier for you." Sakura leaned over to grab her pack. Oh boy, today's fun activity was called: doing your hair with a traitorous killer who's tortured people before! Yay, girl time.

Sakura arranged some scissors and wet towels on the bedside table before fishing around the bottom of the bag for a scrunchie. She grinned devilishly and pulled out a bright pink one. 'Oh sweet Kami, thank you for allowing this man to be blind.' She thought, and stood over Itachi, scrunchie in hand.

"Well, I'll just tie it back first, then I'll wet the scissors and cut from there. Of course, it'd be easier if your whole head was wet, but it'll still be a fairly sharp cut." He merely nodded, but she could see him tensing up. Sakura bit her lip, trying not to smile as she very gently put his hair in a ponytail about a foot down from his neck with the vibrant elastic material. Sakura did all this without even touching him, afraid the contact might set him off. They both knew quite well that blind or no, he was still a dangerous man.

"Uh, could you maybe tilt you head back a bit..?" He obliged, and Sakura realized something about medics. Trust was such an important necessity of being a nurse or doctor. With her mood lightened, Sakura wouldn't be giving off waves of malice like Itachi expected her to be, and such waves would immediately make him suspicious. She'd never had to act trustworthy in Konoha, because everyone trusted her already. But she couldn't get away with fake cheerfulness in her current situation, so the violet hair tie had been a blessing indeed. And with Itachi sticking his chin up with a pink scrunchie… Well, Sakura was using a lot of self-control to keep from laughing. She put a dry towel on the pillow behind him and rested the blade against his hair.

_Snip, snip, sniiipp._

"Why did you leave Konoha?"

_Snp snp snp._

"I really hate admitting this to you, of all people, but the main reason was your brother." Sakura tried to cut vertically, to avoid choppy ends. Although his head remained still, she wondered what sort of facial expression Itachi would have right now, or if he'd have one at all.

"Ah. But you were so eager to get him back before."

"Yeah, only that was _before_ I could bring myself to admit your brother's an asshole." Sakura's tone darkened. If he hated his brother so much, why did this topic interest Itachi?

"I can't imagine what he could have done to make you flee Konoha." Sakura frowned. 'He slept with me then ignored me for weeks, you stupid Sasuke look-a-like.'

"It's really none of your business." She continued snipping at his hair "Why so interested? You don't care whether he lives or dies." Itachi dodged this and moved on.

"You said my foolish brother was a partial reason. What is the other half?" This time it sounded like a genuine question. Sakura cut one last piece of raven black hair and set the scissors down. She stood up with the towel of hair and yanked the window open, letting the warm air flutter into the room.

"The other reason I left," She held the towel out the window, and the strong sea breeze whipped the hair from it, carrying it towards the ocean, like black feathers etched onto a blue canvas.

"Was because I needed a brand new reason for living. Unbound by shinobi laws and traditions. I wanted absolute freedom." Sakura turned to look at him, and even though he was blind, she had the feeling he could see her standing there by the window nonetheless.

--

Aww hell yeah. It's so frickin' late! I wanted this out by, like, Friday. But exams are almost done and then I'm free to type to my heart's content. Thanks for the reviews so far!

Ok, I'm aware this is going slow. I know it is. But it's about to pick up so hang tight and don't getcher panties in a wad. XD

--


	4. A Change in PLans

Sorry for taking so damn long, but I've just gotten a job, while my parental unit lost hers. I'm sick and tired of never updating and never having time to write, so I'm very sorry to tell you that this fic is on hold for the time being.

--

The hem of Juugo's cloak had just barely swept out of the room when Karin leapt from her chair to close the door with a snap. She slowly turned her head around like an owl, closely examining the only other person in the room.

"Sasuke kun, you were awfully quiet during today's meeting." She purred in what Karin hoped was an alluring tone. Sasuke didn't glance up; he wasn't even listening. Planning for the downfall along with Akatsuki was no problem, but there were other matters, and other people, on his mind. Karin knew this, but decided to test her luck. If she appeared knowledgeable to him, he might take an interest.

"You're thinking about that medic girl again." Sasuke tore his gaze from the stone floor and glared at Karin, but said nothing. Suddenly nervous under his intense stare, she quickly said the first thing on her mind, now the she had his attention.

"Did you sleep with her?" She said in a falsely casual voice, but her squirming did not go unnoticed by the sharingan. Sasuke slowly rose from his chair, and just as slowly walked over to Karin. He was not even a foot from her now.

"You will not mention her again." Karin nodded quickly. That confirmed it; he'd definitely slept with the girl. And now she'd pissed him off and there was no way he'd flirt with her now! Karin bit her lip and turned away from Sasuke, who moved back towards his chair. There was one and only one way for Karin to rid the medic bitch from Sasuke-kun's thoughts altogether, and that was to eliminate her. Karin continued to chew on her lip. There was no way to get away from Sasuke without him suspecting something. Plus she wanted to support him during their planning… but there might be a way around Sasuke's suspicion.

"Sasuke, I'm sorry, I know you said not to bring it up, but there's something important you need to know about that girl." She spoke in a serious tone. Sasuke raised his head from his papers and stared, making her feel uneasy again.

"You know, when she left the village, that was the night you told Suigetsu and I to scout around the village walls."

"So what? Get to the point Karin."

"So, I had my chakra heightened that night, and I could feel her leaving the village. But she wasn't by herself. She was carrying something with a small amount of chakra with her" Karin looked at the floor, unable to meet his gaze. She was positive he'd see right though her lie if eye contact was made.

"What are you talking about? She left by herself." Though now he sounded unsure, a tone that was not often heard with Uchiha. Suddenly, his eyes snapped wide open.

"Wait, carrying small chakra. Karin, when you say _carrying…_" He stood up swiftly, staring at her with a wild, almost fearful expression. Karin nodded.

"She… she was pregnant. I didn't want to tell you, I though you'd get mad."

Sasuke's hand was around her throat in a matter of seconds. Karin twitched in surprise, suddenly terrified. Sasuke was livid, he was shaking as he held her fast.

"You fool! WHY did you withhold this information?!" Karin felt tears well up in her eyes. She tried to choke an apology. Sasuke considered throwing the stupid broad from him but released her to let her speak first. She sputtered and gasped, then collapsed to the floor.

"I.. I'm so sorry, please… Uhnn.."

"_Well?!"_

"I could only track… her chakra as far as a few miles… she went south. I'm so sorry, AH!" Sasuke's foot had connected sharply with her ribs. He grabbed her by the forearms and roughly hoisted her up.

"You're going to track her down, then," He snarled at her. Karin flinched. "And kill her. And don't even _think _about coming back here until you're done!" And Sasuke threw her down, where she recoiled and covered her face. He marched from the room, fuming and dangerous, leaving Karin and her dry sobbing on the floor. What started as a plan to make Sasuke jealous had now become a live or die situation. And either Sasuke thought Karin a very skilled shinobi, or he was severely underestimating Sakura Haruno's skills in battle. Karin was inclined to believe it was the latter.

--

Humming tunelessly, a non-pregnant Sakura threw water over her back and watched as soap and bubbles streamed onto the cement. Luckily for her, Toshio's house did indeed have a shower with running water. Not so lucky was the fact that it was right outside Itachi's window. But he was still blind, so it all weighed in her favor. At least thin bamboo walls shielded the rest of it, so no prying eyes would find her, unless they kicked down the door or stood on a ladder to look below at her.

"Are you tone deaf, kunoichi?" She heard a soft chuckle from just inside the window.

"I'd rather be deaf than blind, asshole. And would you please be so kind as to stop calling me kunoichi?" Sakura snapped back.

"As you wish." He said. Sakura had expected more teasing. She rubbed soap into her pink locks and stuck her head underneath the cold faucet, then reached for the towel she'd slung over the bamboo walls. It wasn't there.

"Looking for something?" Itachi was resting an elbow on the windowsill, a smirk on his face and a towel in his grasp. Sakura stiffened.

"What, may I ask, is the point of teasing a naked woman when you can't even _see _them?" And although she knew he was blind, she squirmed nervously, slightly embarrassed. Who knew what the man was _thinking _of?

"Because I am bored, and you are not wearing clothes." He waved the towel, and Sakura darted foreword for it, but he yanked it up out of her reach. Sakura's hands, which had been reaching for the towel, changed course and reached in though the window where her medic kit still lay on the bedside table. Itachi's arm moved to knock hers away, but she blocked with one hand and held a scalpel to his neck with another.

"Why so serious?" He sounded amused, but dropped the towel so that it landed on her head, covering her face. Sakura dropped her tool to take it off.

"There, no we're both blind." And he dropped back onto the pillow, a smirk still playing about his features. Blushing, Sakura toweled off and walked around the house to the sliding door, where her clothes lay on the futon. In all honesty, she didn't mind that bit teasing. After all, she had used a bright pink scrunchie, which, when the man did regain his sight, would even things out between them. She was just tying her headband on when Toshio came flying in with bottled in his hand.

"I got everything!" He announced excitedly.

"Great, let's see what we can do, then." She kicked the door open with her foot and waltzed into Itachi's room as if she owned the place.

"Right, first we're going to disinfect the surrounding area." She stated.

"Dizinfect!" Echoed Toshio.

"Then' I'm going to examine everything and repair whatever I can."

"Ree-pair!" Toshio Exclaimed. Itachi sighed impatiently.

"And lastly, I'm going to try and reverse the damage done by extended periods of Sharingan use."

"Shaniri..gan.. Shariginan… Sha…" Sakura looked sideways at Toshio.

"Reverse!" He shouted, and she chuckled while plonking herself down into a chair and getting out cutips and swabs.

It was tedious work, cleaning around the eye. It seemed dirt had been mixed into the blood and Sakura was amazed that both eyes sockets hadn't become two huge infections. It turned out Itachi had been dripping hydrogen peroxide into his eyes every few weeks, although that could hardly have been helpful. Sakura gently wiped away the dried blood and dabbed at his forehead.

"This really shouldn't take too long." She said quietly.

--

Right, like I said… this chapter's been cut short, and I am very very sorry. However, I hope that you can forgive me. Maybe someday I will be able to finish this and write more fics. Feel free to check my pro for the full reason.


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